Disconnecting switch



' Oct. 4, 1932. 1.. P. BOLL ET AL 1,830,734

DISCONNE'CTING SWITCH I Filed Dec. 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 4, 1932.

Filed Dec. 20, 1929 L. P. BOLL ET AL DISCONNECTING SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 4, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LESTER PIERCE BOLL, OF UNIVERSITY CITY, AND THEODORE nmxnnm'mn, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS TO W. N. MATTHEWS CORPORATION, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI DISCONNECTING SWITCH Application flied Deoc inber 20, 1929. Serial No. 415,532.

ruggedness; the provision of a switch of the class described which is so constructed that supporting insulators are eliminated; and the provision of an enclosed switch of minimum dimensions and havin minimum manufacturing costs. Other ob ects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will beexemplified in the strucm ture hereinafter described, and the scope of ments of the invention, Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken through the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated one of various possible embodithe switch and switch cover comprising the invention, showing the same in closed position' Fig. 2 is a front elevation of Fig. 1, certain portions of the cover being broken away; Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of Flg. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the switch cover partially open and the switch in-fully open position. v

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated at numeral 1 a mount- 7 ing base, composed of non-conducting material sn chas porcelain. This base is of sufficient thickness and strength to provide in combination both the necessary supporting means and insulating means for the switch. Instead of the switch being mounted on sup porting insulators, fastened to a base, as is generally done, the switch herein described is mounted directly on the base, thereby effecting a saving of insulators and space. Re:

cesses 3 are provided at the rear for cementng on 'or otherwise afiixing suitable supportlng means.

At numeral 5 there is indicated a hinging support for the switch blade. This support 5 is cemented to the base 1, a recess 7 being providedin said base. The support 5 has a collar 9 which abuts against the base 1 and tines 11 which extend down into the recess 7 and are held or anchored therein by cement 13. These tines 11 are bent as shown to effect a more secure holding. During the process of making support 5, the tines 11 are first cast straight, being made of brass or the like, and then formed to a curvature as indicated -in the drawings (Fig. 3). They are curved by means of a blow 1n a forging operation. By'casting the tines straight they are easily drawn endwise from their molds and their subsequent curvature effects proper anchoring.

The switch blade 15 comprises .two strips or segments 17, 19, preferably of copper. These segments 17, 19 are held together at the lower end support 5 as hereinafter described and are held together at the upper end by rivets 21 or other means used for holding an interposed eye 23. This eye 23 is made to serve as v a spacing means for the segments 17,19. The opening 25 of eye, 23 includes part of the switch blade 15 but the portions of copper cut away do not decrease the eifective cross sectlonal area of the switch blade at this point,

because of the juxtaposed body portion 27 of V said eye. It is thus seen that a large opening 25 is provided without greatly increasing the over-all dimensions of the switch. The eye 23 is provided so that atool or hook may be conveniently applied for opening or closing the switch. I

Numerals 29, 31 indicate two line terminals of the switch. These terminals are in the form of jaws engaging with the switch blade 1.5. These jaws are preferably made of copper, and in the same manner as the hinging support 5, are provided with tines 33 and cemented to the base 1. Each terminal memand contacting members 41, 39. The base ber 29, 31 is composed of a base member 35 tacting members 39, 41. Each of the outer members 39 makes a wiping contact wit-h the outer surface of each of the segments 17, 19,

r and each of the inner members 41, makes similar contact with the inner surface of each of the segments 17, 19. Two independent contact sockets are thus formed for the two blade strips. It will be noted that the inner surfaces of the members 41 are in wiping contact with one another as is shown at numeral 40. This construction of the jaws of the switch insures positive contact of the seg ments of the blades 15 with the jaws of the switch under varying conditions of alignment. For instance, if the blade is thrown shut while misaligned to one side, only one member 39 and one member 41 will be struck. Inasmuch as the mating members 39, 41 of this group are separate, relative movement is possible, sliding taking place at numeral 40. The resulting resiliency results in better electrical cooperation between the blade and the contacts. a

To further augment a positive contact and to facilitate alignment of segments 17, 19 with the jaws 29, 31, there is provided a set of spring washers 44 which afford flexibility of movement of blades 15.

As stated, the segments 17,19 are swingably mounted on the hinging support 5. A hinging pin 47 passes through the support 5 and the segments 17, 19 of the blades 15. Nuts 49 are threaded onto the end of pin 47 and flat washers 51 are in bearing contact with spring washers 45. The spring washers are essentially of a concave-convex shape and therefore readily permit of the flexibility of movement of blades 15. It is to be understood that the segments 17, 19 move as a unit blade 15 because of the fastening at riveting pins 21.

To effect an enclosure for the switch, the

base 1 has integrally formed therewith extending walls or sides 53, 54, 55,- which in combination with a door 56 provide a compact and effective housing. The door 56 is made of some material of high insulating strength, such as bakelite.- This door is hinged at its upper end as at numeral 57 and is provided with a lip or extending portion 59 used for conveniently opening and closing said door. Metal bosses 61 are placed in the cover of the door so that a name plate, phase-indicating numeral or letter, or like article may be conveniently afiixed. It will be noted that the effective thickness of the cover 56 at the points 66 of the door 56, said door being so formed as to come flush with the front of the enclosure formed by walls 53, 54. By this means, a tortuous crack, rather than a straight one, is effected between the door 56 and the engaging walls 53, 54. The outer surfaces of the side walls 54 are provided with elevation 67 for increasing the leaking path between leadin wires; The lead-in wires pass through opening 69 in said side walls and are fastened to said screen sockets 43 of the terminal members 29, 31. These elevations 67 also serve to increase the leakage path between these lead-in wires to ground.

In the lower or bottom extending wall 55, there is provided a slot or opening 71 which permits of a complete opening of a switch blade 15 as shown in Fig. 4. .So that this slot may not have to be out very deep and thereby introduce a large opening in the enclosure, a special method described herein of mounting the blade 15 is employed. The hinging pin 47 does not pass through the center of the blade 15 but passes through said blade nearer the top' of the bladethan the bottom (Fig. 1). \Vhen this blade is in the fully openedposition, (Fig. 4) it is apparent that the upper edge (now rear edge) of the blade 15 is spaced farther from the base 1 than it would otherwise be and a shallower opening 71 may therefore be employed. This advantage in combination with the ad vantageous method of employing the eye 23 as described hereinbefore permits of a more compact enclosure for the switch.

There is also provided in the base 1 a increase the leakage passage from contacts to blade when the switch is in open position.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

Asmany changes could be made in carrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A switch comprising line terminals, an enclosing base therefor, a cover, a switch blade beneath said cover and adapted to engage said terminals, an eye associated with the blade, the opening of the eye being matched by an opening 111 the blade whereby extension of the eye is decreased so that said cover may be lowered, the cross section of the eye augmenting the cross section of said blade.

2. A switch blade comprising a plurality of conducting strips, an eye spacmg said strips and forming therewith a conductor,

the opening of the eye having aligning removed portions in said strips but the cross section of the spacing portion of the eye augmenting that of the strips.

3. A switch comprising line terminals, 9. switch blade, means for swingably supporting said blade, enclosing walls surrounding all of said means, an opening in one of said walls accommodating outward swinging of the blade, said blade being hinged ofi its own center line to minimize the depth of said opening.

4. A switch comprising a hinged blade, means having an opening into which said blade is adapted to swing, said blade being hinged off its longitudinal center line so as to minimize the depth of said opening below what said depth would be, were said blade hinged at said center line.

5. A switch comprising an insulating base, terminal members, a switch blade and a hinging support for said switch blade, said support being separate from the terminal members, said blade comprising at least two seg ments and an eye having a hole fastened between said segments, and said segments having cut-out portions aligning with said eye so as to reduce the over all height of said switch.

6. In a switch, a support, and a plurality of juxtaposed sockets, each having relative movement with respect to the other, a switch blade comprising at least two segments, a hinging pin passing through said segments and said support, said pin passing therethrough nearer the top of the segments than the bottom, said segments being adapted to be embraced by said sockets.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification this 18th day of December, 1929.

LESTER PIERCE BOLL. THEODORE BIRKENMAIER. 

